BJD, Congress Seek Transparency in Odisha’s Electoral Roll Revision

Opposition parties in Odisha, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress, on Wednesday demanded full transparency in the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, scheduled to begin next month after a gap of over two decades.

Both parties expressed apprehension that irregularities similar to those reported in Bihar should not be repeated in Odisha. In Bihar, over 65 lakh enumeration forms were allegedly left out in the draft rolls during the first phase of the SIR, which reduced the number of registered voters from around 7.9 crore to 7.24 crore.

“We will not allow a Bihar-like exercise in Odisha. Transparency and accountability must be ensured to safeguard the democratic rights of our people,” leaders from both parties said.

The SIR is aimed at verifying, updating, and correcting voter records to ensure error-free electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections. With Odisha undertaking the revision after 20 years, political parties have stressed the need for strict monitoring to prevent exclusion of genuine voters.

The Election Commission of India is expected to release detailed guidelines for the state soon, while opposition parties have warned of state-wide protests if lapses are detected.